You Are: A sector admiral of a strained imperium.

[X] Raid Chuang Mu, Again. You can force these battleships off Imhotep if you threaten their home system in greater force.
 
@Packrat thanks for answering my question regarding scuttling and suicide bombers, particularly that most such lunatics come from the Rana Salient... can we expect fire ships like those faced by the Spanish Armada and Suicide bombers from the enemy fleet since they come from said Salient? Also do we have any idea regarding how extensive enemy Intelligence is and if the NASp have a history of false flag operations?
 
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@Packrat thanks for answering my question regarding scuttling and suicide bombers, particularly that most such lunatics come from the Rana Salient... can we expect fire ships like those faced by the Spanish Armada and Suicide bombers from the enemy fleet since they come from said Salient? Also di we have any idea regarding how extensive enemy Intelligence is and if the NASp have a history of false flaf operations?
As another random comment somebody did ask a while ago about scuttling ships.

To answer that yes, it is trivially easy for any warship to scuttle herself by detonating any of the numerous high yield fusion bombs they almost always carry. This does however kill everyone on board and probably also everyone on board the ship grappled with them. It is only done by lunatics but is one of the reasons why captured starship crews are typically treated very well, surrender should be an option.

That said the Valinor Regency are lunatics and will happily grapple battleships with light cruisers before detonating their entire magazines.
The Valinor Regency are a five system interstellar state that is signatory to the NASP tready, insular and theocratic, their Pope Regent ruling in god's stead until They see fit to return to rule the galaxy in person, or perhaps rapture the worthy to heaven, the Empire is generally areligious and you do not know the details. During the war they contributed heavily to the NASP defense that stopped the Imperial push at New Theia.
I think that you are mistaken about where the lunatics comes from.
 
Just cross out "dem" from the name and call it "The Sword of Autocracy".

Changing only 3 letters will save ton of wealth on signage and paint.
Ah yes, nothing like corrupting what is good and righteous and turning it to our own ends. It will do my black heart good to see their faces when they see what has become of their old flagship.
 
What is the reason to go at Chuang Mu again instead of taking out that fleet over Imhotep, do after-battle interrogations and go at it then?

Fleet battle over Imhotep is more to our strengths (Strategy-Tactics-Prowess) than raiding Chuang Mu (where we would get a dash of Diplomacy and Subterfuge) in any case, and long-term it is safer (Allowing us to choose when to escalate rather than facing imminent NASP raids).
 
[X] Harass. If you combine your ships with those of the newly arrived heavy cruiser squadron then you can try to pick apart the rogue fleet over Imhotep.
 
[X] Harass. If you combine your ships with those of the newly arrived heavy cruiser squadron then you can try to pick apart the rogue fleet over Imhotep.
 
What is the reason to go at Chuang Mu again instead of taking out that fleet over Imhotep, do after-battle interrogations and go at it then?

Fleet battle over Imhotep is more to our strengths (Strategy-Tactics-Prowess) than raiding Chuang Mu (where we would get a dash of Diplomacy and Subterfuge) in any case, and long-term it is safer (Allowing us to choose when to escalate rather than facing imminent NASP raids).
I was mostly behind it because I was unwilling to face 3 capital ships without one of our own.....

but now we have one.... and actually now that I think about it.... they may not be willing to come and attack us when we raid their own planet... they may do what we are doing and attack our main planet where the governor is...

So with us getting a capital ship I am changing my choice of action to this.

[X] Harass. If you combine your ships with those of the newly arrived heavy cruiser squadron then you can try to pick apart the rogue fleet over Imhotep.
 
What is the reason to go at Chuang Mu again instead of taking out that fleet over Imhotep, do after-battle interrogations and go at it then?

Fleet battle over Imhotep is more to our strengths (Strategy-Tactics-Prowess) than raiding Chuang Mu (where we would get a dash of Diplomacy and Subterfuge) in any case, and long-term it is safer (Allowing us to choose when to escalate rather than facing imminent NASP raids).

Because our strategic goal is to stop the invasion of Imhotep number one. While having a BC would help us a lot, we still really can't get into a straight fight with the full fleet there. To even try, we'd need to take out all their support ships and then pray that the multi-attack penalties (halved as they are) are enough to allow our cruisers to stand up to battleships. Which is... highly questionable. Our PC can slap battleships around just fine if he has a BC but not everyone else is that capable.

Attacking Chuang Mu in force makes them pull ships back to defend themselves, either their whole fleet or in part. I suspect our PC is smart enough to reveal only part of the attacking force in the hopes that they'll only respond with a few battleships. This allows us to loot them, hopefully roll up the force they send back, then sally to relieve Imhotep in the force there. At worst, we end up with a fleet battle at Chuang Mu, just like we would at Imhotep, but we get phat lewts first. I suspect that if we get into a fleet battle at Imhotep and win Chuang Mu will sue for peace and the NASP will rattle their sabers enough that we'll be commanded to leave them alone. I want not only to beat that force and take their ships, but I want to loot those planets to the bedrock.
 
Because our strategic goal is to stop the invasion of Imhotep number one. While having a BC would help us a lot, we still really can't get into a straight fight with the full fleet there. To even try, we'd need to take out all their support ships and then pray that the multi-attack penalties (halved as they are) are enough to allow our cruisers to stand up to battleships. Which is... highly questionable. Our PC can slap battleships around just fine if he has a BC but not everyone else is that capable.

Attacking Chuang Mu in force makes them pull ships back to defend themselves, either their whole fleet or in part. I suspect our PC is smart enough to reveal only part of the attacking force in the hopes that they'll only respond with a few battleships. This allows us to loot them, hopefully roll up the force they send back, then sally to relieve Imhotep in the force there. At worst, we end up with a fleet battle at Chuang Mu, just like we would at Imhotep, but we get phat lewts first. I suspect that if we get into a fleet battle at Imhotep and win Chuang Mu will sue for peace and the NASP will rattle their sabers enough that we'll be commanded to leave them alone. I want not only to beat that force and take their ships, but I want to loot those planets to the bedrock.
'cept I am worried the QM will instead send them against Ilam instead.... if they do we get fkd PERMANENTLY. We should fight them directly, pick off some of their support and maybe damage a capital ship if we can before taking them head on.
 
'cept I am worried the QM will instead send them against Ilam instead.... if they do we get fkd PERMANENTLY. We should fight them directly, pick off some of their support and maybe damage a capital ship if we can before taking them head on.

I agree with this. Also as we have seen, looting a planet takes time. With all the orbital defenses, it is like walking into a trap and getting bogged down. With the Capital ships free to move they could pounce on us or attack the Sector Capital. They can probably chew through defenses faster than we can.
 
Updjate 26 - Cats Walking Across the Keyboard Made Update Far Too Difficult To Type
[X] Raid Chuang Mu, Again. You can force these battleships off Imhotep if you threaten their home system in greater force.

Also, prize money leads to loyalty!
Commander Baron Adald Clipaul Imperial +1 Loyalty (Now 15)
Captain Dame Juley Mara Wisanch +1 Loyalty (Now 11)
Commander Dame Thera Phardson +1 Loyalty (Now 15)

Sones and Ranca are already at crazy high loyalty.

Other Officers:
Commander Sir Atthell Ason Perra of the Hawk is still injured and out of action.
Captain Dame Stephua Rosson Maner is mostly recovered from her injuries and can act, but at -1 to all actions.
Lord Commander Andos Lezal Rownett of the Harpy is mostly recovered from his injuries and can act, but at -1 to all actions.


It takes only minutes after you jump above Illam to have Governor General Hawny Andez Imperial on a call, a call that you take in your read room with only Captain Sones and your executive officer. The prince is with a short (for a noble) woman you recognise as Captain Viscountess Athryn Mithy Arslan, the commander of the newly arrived cruiser squadron, they along with two unfamiliar naval captains appear to be in your command center aboard the sector command station.

"Commodore Strauss!" For once he seems actually pleased to see you. "We were worried that you had been caught up in this enemy attack and lost, given how long you took to return. It appears you were engaged in successful hunting instead?" Then a shake of his head, he motions to the tactical display projected in front of the group.

"Captain Arslan has been taking control of the situation in your absence and was telling me how she now has cutters watching the invaders over Imhotep. If you would, captain." He motions the viscountess forward, who spends a moment assessing you through the screen before she does indeed step forward.

"The enemy have three Heritage class battleships, four light cruisers that are essentially copies of our own Raptor class vessels and an attack skiff. We are getting no Imperial transmissions from the surface at all, the garrison has surrendered along with the entire administration. Fortunately I was here to take command and I-"

You cut her off at that point.

"Thank you captain. You have done well, regardless, we do not have enough ships to push them back across the border. Fortunately I know where this little fleet is based, they are the national navy of Chuang Mu and given their response time they are not acting on any kind of orders from NASP fleet command, this is an independent action. Fortunately I have just stripped Chuang Mu of almost it's entire garrison force. If we put enough pressure on the planet then we can force them to recall their ships, hopefully also destroying their logistical base in the process. To that end I propose..."

Diplomacy Roll:
6 + 6 + 3 + 12 Effective Diplomacy = 27
Good Success


Regardless of the details of your plan, the Viscountess does in fact find herself agreeing to support the raid with her trio of heavy cruisers, their readiness reports when transmitted show them to all be at 100%, fully loaded and armed with experienced crews. This is perhaps not surprising given that your own files indicate she is personally paying for the maintenance of all three ships.

Just what is your basic plan though?

[] Attack Immediately.
You will reload the Endeavour's magazines then immediately head to Chuang Mu with the Viscountess' heavy cruiser squadron, bringing a pair of patrol cutters with you for support.
[] Wait A Week. If you wait a week, you will be able to expedite repairs on your ships and bring into service one or more of the captured vessels finishing refit above Ilam.
[] Wait Longer. If you give yourself a few weeks then you may be able to pull in reinforcements, ships from ducal fleets or cruisers from the neighbouring sector corewards.

Unless you attack immediately, you have a lot of options when it comes to ships.

Right now the local shipyard has one fully repaired battlecruiser (The Sword of Democracy) and two Strike Cruisers, all three ships taken into Imperial service and being crewed. Orders have been drawn up to transfer them to the interior but orders can be changed in emergencies like this.

The Sword of Democracy will cost 55 Political Capital, each Strike Cruiser 30 Political Capital. Given this is not a normal and planned allocation of resources you would get a raise of only 3 fleet budget a quarter with the Sword and 1 for each strike cruiser.

[] Battlecruiser (-55 Political Capital, +3 sector budget)
[] Battlecruiser + 1 Strike Cruiser (-85 Political Capital, +4 sector budget)
[] Battlecruiser +2 Strike Cruisers (105 Political Capital, +5 sector budget)
[] 1 Strike Cruiser (30 Political Capital, +1 sector budget)
[] 2 Strike Cruisers (60Political Capital, +2 sector budget)
[] No emergency requisitions.

These ships will begin with crews at Useless (-3) grade and 100% Readiness but you can transfer the crew from one of your light cruisers to a strike cruiser at the cost of one crew grade. For the battlecruiser, you would need to strip two crew grade levels from a heavy cruiser, three from a light cruiser or four from a corvette for each crew level up.

For example you could reduce the Endeavour from Elite (+3) to Mediocre (-1) crew in order to give the battlecruiser a Mediocre (-1) crew.

All ships will have no marines, you can also spend 3 Wealth per strike cruiser or 8 for the battlecruiser to up crew grade by one level through hiring veterans.

If you take the Sword of Democracy, you have the option of stripping your sector command headquarters of personnel to have it start with Green (-2) crew and 4 points of marines. This will impact future strategy and intelligence rolls for some time.

[] Write in with personnel plan.

The Hawk and the Harpy have both been refit to 55% Readiness and Marines 1/3. For a cost of 3 Wealth you can crash refit a cruiser to raise readiness by 10%

[] No Crash Refit
[] Refit the Harpy (-3 Wealth, Harpy rises to 65% Readiness)
[] Refit the Hawk (-3 Wealth, Hawk raises to 65% Readiness)
[] Refit both cruisers (-6 Wealth, both cruisers raise to 65% Readiness)

You do not, at this moment, have the liberty to track down a seller for a share, you can request that the Governor General grant you one for 120 Political Capital, though the cost will reduce if you deal with the current invasion well.

[] Request a Share (-120 Political Capital, become a Lord holding a single Share).
[] Do not Request a Share.


Fafnir
Dragon Class Heavy Cruiser
Speed: 6, Firepower: 6, Durability: 5, Marines 5/5
Readiness currently at 100%
Crew: Experienced (+1)
Captain: Captain Viscountess Athryn Mithy Arslan (Diplomacy 12, Strategy 10, Tactics 16, Prowess 13, Subterfuge 13) Loyalty N/A
XO: Commander Amueth Enkis (Diplomacy 7, Strategy 14, Tactics 8, Prowess 9, Subterfuge 5) Loyalty N/A

Smaug
Speed: 6, Firepower: 6, Durability: 5, Marines 5/5
Readiness currently at 100%
Crew: Experienced (+1)
Captain: Captain Dame Teria Thoward (Diplomacy 8, Strategy 11, Tactics 12, Prowess 10, Subterfuge 8) Loyalty N/A
XO: Commander Lord Jose Morgan Arslan (Diplomacy 9, Strategy 15, Tactics 7, Prowess 14, Subterfuge 12) Loyalty N/A

Falkor
Speed: 6, Firepower: 6, Durability: 5, Marines 5/5
Readiness currently at 100%
Crew: Experienced (+1)
Captain: Captain Lord Atrin Rames Arslan (Diplomacy 11, Strategy 9, Tactics 11, Prowess 10, Subterfuge 13) Loyalty N/A
XO: Commander Dame Carea Rosson (Diplomacy 13, Strategy 10, Tactics 12, Prowess 9, Subterfuge 10) Loyalty N/A

Also that was indeed a close vote, it was much less close when I started writing the update! I will add a new option in.

Do you change target to Imhotep and the enemy fleet, once all the above has been considered?

[] Imhotep
[] Chuang Mu
 
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To clarify a few points above, Ilam has superheavy defenses on par with New Theia, three battleships with support could partially blockade the system and throw sector wide trade into chaos but it would take more like ten or twenty battleships to seriously reduce the defenses. Even with twenty, it would take two or three months and they would lose support ships along with ending up with a battered, worn down fleet.
 
[X] Plan all in.
-[X] Wait A Week.
If you wait a week, you will be able to expedite repairs on your ships and bring into service one or more of the captured vessels finishing refit above Ilam.
-[X] Battlecruiser (-55 Political Capital, +3 sector budget)
-[X] No Crash Refit
-[X] Write in with personnel plan:
take 4 personal level from heavy cruiser, take 2 from highest level light cruiser, and 1 from the next highest, add to BC. Strip sector command for BC and pay 8 wealth for marine veterans for BC
-[X] Request a Share (-120 Political Capital, become a Lord holding a single Share).
-[X] Chuang Mu
 
To clarify a few points above, Ilam has superheavy defenses on par with New Theia, three battleships with support could partially blockade the system and throw sector wide trade into chaos but it would take more like ten or twenty battleships to seriously reduce the defenses. Even with twenty, it would take two or three months and they would lose support ships along with ending up with a battered, worn down fleet.
Well with that, we can easily make it back in time in case they attack the Sector Capital. So we might as well go all in so we can take as much as possible. Doing this half assed is just asking for trouble. Also we might as well wait on a Share when it is cheaper.

EDIT: This plan has been updated based on discussion.

[X] Plan: Prepared
-[] Wait A Week. If you wait a week, you will be able to expedite repairs on your ships and bring into service one or more of the captured vessels finishing refit above Ilam.
-[] Battlecruiser +2 Strike Cruisers (105 Political Capital, +5 sector budget)
-[] Refit both cruisers (-6 Wealth, both cruisers raise to 65% Readiness)
-[] Personel plan "high speed regulars":
-Transfer 3 levels of veterans from Peregrine and transfer 1 level of veterans from Harpy to strike cruisers, buy 2 level of veterans with 6 wealth (both strike cruisers brought to "regular")
-Transfer all marines from Corvettes and Light Cruisers (13 marines in total) 4 to each strike cruiser and 5 to the battlecruiser
-Spend 24 wealth to hire veterans to bring battlecruiser to "regular" crew quality
-[] Transfer command to Battlecrusier, give XO command of Endeavor
-[] Transfer Ranca into the command of one of the cruisers and give our fleet corvette to Wison so she gets a shot at looking good for the news vids.
-[] Order cutters to watch fleet at Imhotep to determine if they make a move to return or attack Sector Capital, rush ahead to give warning
-[] Speak with Viscountess about command of the fleet and disposition
-[] Do not Request a Share.
-[] Chuang Mu
 
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Why +1 for a Strike Cruiser or +3 for a Battleship when their maintenance cost is so much higher? This is a quarter of their maintenance cost, not half.

He says this in the update:

Given this is not a normal and planned allocation of resources you would get a raise of only 3 fleet budget a quarter with the Sword and 1 for each strike cruiser.
 
Well with that, we can easily make it back in time in case they attack the Sector Capital. So we might as well go all in so we can take as much as possible. Doing this half assed is just asking for trouble. Also we might as well wait on a Share when it is cheaper.

[X] Plan: Prepared
-[] Wait A Week. If you wait a week, you will be able to expedite repairs on your ships and bring into service one or more of the captured vessels finishing refit above Ilam.
-[] Battlecruiser +2 Strike Cruisers (105 Political Capital, +5 sector budget)
-[] Spend 14 Wealth to upgrade crew on Battlecruiser and Cruisers
-[] Refit both cruisers (-6 Wealth, both cruisers raise to 65% Readiness)
-[] Transfer command to Battlecrusier, give XO command of Endeavor
-[] Order cutters to watch fleet at Imhotep to determine if they make a move to return or attack Sector Capital, rush ahead to give warning
-[] Speak with Viscountess about command of the fleet and disposition
-[] Do not Request a Share.
this is the normal price of a share with PC. We NEED IT atm I think because we may catch flack for this and it may cause a war (though I doubt it.) WE can also make it all back during the attack this turn so no worries there.
 
Well with that, we can easily make it back in time in case they attack the Sector Capital. So we might as well go all in so we can take as much as possible. Doing this half assed is just asking for trouble. Also we might as well wait on a Share when it is cheaper.

[X] Plan: Prepared
-[] Wait A Week. If you wait a week, you will be able to expedite repairs on your ships and bring into service one or more of the captured vessels finishing refit above Ilam.
-[] Battlecruiser +2 Strike Cruisers (105 Political Capital, +5 sector budget)
-[] Spend 14 Wealth to upgrade crew on Battlecruiser and Cruisers
-[] Refit both cruisers (-6 Wealth, both cruisers raise to 65% Readiness)
-[] Transfer command to Battlecrusier, give XO command of Endeavor
-[] Order cutters to watch fleet at Imhotep to determine if they make a move to return or attack Sector Capital, rush ahead to give warning
-[] Speak with Viscountess about command of the fleet and disposition
-[] Do not Request a Share.

I like this plan. Giving our XO the endeavor with an elite crew helps offset his below average tactical ability, plus he'll be pretty safe in the HC and be able to hopefully get a bit of glory which will make his uncle happy. I'd transfer Ranca into the command of one of the cruisers and give our fleet corvette to Wison so she gets a shot at looking good for the news vids.
 
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Shit.
Guess we have to deal with the cards given.

I propose:
a) Taking the Sword of Democracy
b) Use the option of staffing SoD to raise crew level, strip both Hawk and Harpy both down to Green to get another crew level, and strip Whippet and Cirrus to get another one, totalling at Regular crew level for SoD and 2 light cruisers & 2 corvettes benched over Ilam (Or we strip these four ships into uselesness and get Experienced crew, for the better surprise). Of course, strip marine detachments too - giving us 6 batallions ready. And pay for more if we can.
c) Assign Ranca (Or Adald - whoever of them is more politically palatable) as captain of Endeavour, assign Lyna Ryante as her XO. Take Adald (Or Ranca), Sones and Scolly with us.
d) Place Wison in command of Settler.
e) If possible, expedite preparation of Peregrine.
f) Send Viscountess with her squadron to raid Chuang Mu immediately, we would be ready to operate around the time news reach enemy commander over Imhotep.

Taking to the battlefield BC Sword of Democracy, HC Endeavour, corvettes Settler & Greyhound and, possibly, LC Peregrine. Aside from the squadron of the Viscountess.
 
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this is the normal price of a share with PC. We NEED IT atm I think because we may catch flack for this and it may cause a war (though I doubt it.) WE can also make it all back during the attack this turn so no worries there.

We need all the ships we can and I don't want our PC to go below 100. Also with the Governor's nephew and a Viscountess with us, we should be covered on the political angle. We need all the ships we can for this attack with the planetary defenses. I have no doubt that the Battleships at Imhotep will either race back or attack the sector capital. Either way we need a lot of ships to deal with them. If we get those ships, we don't have PC for a Share and we are spending wealth on getting everything ready. It is go big or go home. Also as it said in the update, if we do well we can get a Share for less, probably as a reward for a good job.
 
Also, I assume the Governor is going to pulling in ducal forces to help protect the capital if he can while we're away fighting the good fight...
 
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